Guide for a sealing strip being wound on a key to peel it from a can



March 20, 1956 B. J. LONG 2,738,895

GUIDE FOR A SEALING STRIP BEING WOUND ON A KEY TO PEEL. IT FROM A CAN Filed April 1'7, 1953 M 37373 27g 6% A? 244 8 22 1 2% INVENTOR IIIIIIIIIII In -1M 2 B lllll-lllll 22 2% 24 Patented Mar. 20, 1956 GUIDE FOR A SEALING STRIP G WOUND ON A KEY TO PEEL IT FROM A CAN This invention relates to a novel device for guiding a sealingustrip as thesame is beingwound on a key to peel the same from a can.

It is well known that coffee cans and the like are sealed, to render, the same airtight, by means of a thin soft metal strip that extends circumferentially around the can and covers the joint between its body and the capping flange of its cover or the joint between two sections of a can, and said sealing strip soldered to the can on each side of the joint.

One end portion of the sealing strip is usually reduced in Width and pointed and the length of the sealing strip is such as to extend circumferentially completely around a can with its pointed end portion loosely overlapping the other end portion of the sealing strip.

To remove the sealing strip from a can, in order that it may be opened, a key is provided to peel the sealing strip from a can and wind the same in a roll thereon by turning the key. The key is usually in the form of a stem having at one end aloop for a finger hold and having at its other end portion a longitudinally extended slot through which the pointed end portion of the sealing strip may be inserted. The key is usually attached to a can by solder at its outer end portion. A transverse groove is formed in the key, between its slot and its soldered end, to weaken said key, whereby it can be broken by bending and thus detaching the key from the can.

To remove the sealing strip from a can, in order that the can may be opened, the pointed end of the sealing strip is inserted through the slot in the key and then folded around the key and upon itself to attach the key to the sealing strip. With the key attached to the sealing strip, the same is held parallel to the can with its loop above the can, and then turned about its longitudinal axis to peel the sealing strip from the can and wind the same in a roll on the key.

It is this process of removing a sealing strip from a can that the present application for a patent appertains.

It is well known that in turning a key to wind a sealing strip in a roll thereon, as the same is peeled from a can, it is very difficult to keep the same in a perfect roll as the tendency of the sealing strip is to drift edgewise and wind spirally. This drifting of the sealing strip usually takes place after a considerable portion of the sealing strip has been wound on the key. Hence, the spiral convolutions of the sealing strip, outwardly of the roll, are a considerable space from the key and hence have no base of resistance from which they can exert a pull to peel the sealing strip from the can.

After the sealing strip starts to drift and wind spirally, it is very diflicult if not impossible to bring the sealing strip back onto the roll.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device to prevent a sealing strip, being wound in a roll on a key as the same is peeled from a can, from edgewise driftii'ig and winding spirally.

This and other objects will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim. 1

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the invention applied to a coffee can, some parts being broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the guide;

Fig. 4 is an edge elevational view of the guide; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the key and a frag ment of the sealing strip.

The numeral 6 indicates an annular coffee can comprising a body member 7 and a cover member 8 having a depending annular flange 9 that caps said body member. The cover 8 has on its periphery a small annular head 10 that projects outward of the flange 9. Pressed outward from the body member 7, below the flange 9 is an annular ofiset 11.

The annular joint 12 between the body member 7 and the lower edge of the flange 9 is closed by a thin soft metal sealing strip 13, as shown, a portion of the sealing strip having been peeled from the cap 6. This sealing strip 13, at its transverse center spans the joint 12 and is soldered at one side of said joint to the flange 9, which it overlaps, and the sealing strip at the other side of the joint 12 is soldered to the body member 7. The sealing strip 13 extends completely around the can 6 and one end portion thereof is reduced in width and pointed to afford a tongue 14' which overlaps the other end portion of the sealing strip 13.

A key 15 is provided for peeling the sealing strip 13 from the can 6 and comprises a stem 16 having at one end a loop 17 that affords a finger hold, and at its intermediate portion is flattened and provided with a longitudinal slot 18. The key 15 is attached to the sealing strip 13 by inserting the tongue 14 of the sealing strip 13 through the slot 18 in the key 15 and folding the same over said key and onto the sealing strip 13.

The parts thus far described are conventional.

Referring now in detail to the invention, the guide 19 is formed of a single strip of metal that is tranversely flat. The guide 19 includes a deep U-shaped body member 20, the sides 21 of which are parallel and the bottom member 22 flat. A pair of legs 23 extend outwardly and downwardly from the upper ends of the side members 21 in diverging relation. On the lower end of each leg 23 is an outwardly extended runner 24, the outer end of which is curved upwardly.

Formed in the side members 21, the bottom member 22 and the legs 23 is a continuous slot 25 that is slightly wider than the sealing strip 13.

To use the guide 19 in connection with the key 15, the same is held, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in which it is perpendicular to the side of the can 6 with the bottom member 22 and the runners 24 resting on the can and with the slot 25 overlying the sealing strip 13. Prior to the use of the guide 19, the tongue 14 is bent upwardly perpendicular to the can 6.

While the guide 19 is held positioned relative to the can 6, the key 15 is inserted longitudinally between the side members 21 and moved to project the tongue 14 through the slot 18 and said key 15 turned about its longitudinal axis to bend the tongue 14 about said key and onto the sealing strip 13 and thus attach the key to the sealing strip 13. Further turning of the key 15 will peel the sealing strip 13 from the can and wind the same in a roll 13 on the key 15. As the sealing strip is peeled from the can 6 and wound on the key 15, it carries the key circumferentially around the can 6. This movement of the key 15 about the can 6 shoves the guide 19 in the same direction. As the guide 19 is moved circumferentially about the can 6, bottom 22 and the runners 24 slide on said can.

Obviously, as the sealing strip 13 is wound on the key 15, it extends into the slot 25 in each side member 21 and is thereby held from drifting.

While there are herein disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the structure, process and product of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claim as are stated herein or required by the prior art.

What I claim is:

A device of the class described comprising a transversely fiat longitudinal sheet metal member shaped at its longitudinal center to form a deep U-member having substantially parallel sides, a pair of legs extending outwardly and downwardly from the upper end portion of the sides of the U-member, the lower end portion of the legs being bent outwardly to afford a pair of runners substantially in the same plane, said sheet metal member being bifurcated at its transverse portion to aflord a long notch that extends completely through the U-mernber and from the upper ends of the legs substantially to the YUHIICXS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,389 Lovrich Sept. 3, 1935 2,542,116 Bulger Feb. 20, 1951 2,572,820 Schluter Oct. 23, 1951 2,612,287 Snook Sept. 30, 1952 2,649,990 Lyle Aug. 23, 1953 

